The Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS), who reports directly to the PSC, heads the Department: Public Service Commission Secretariat (DPSCS).

The DPS is directly accountable for all the activities of the Department and is also responsible for providing the technical and administrative support to the Commission, which enables the Commission to make just and informed decisions to ensure the application of fair human resource policies.

The objective of the Department is to critically analyse and develop appropriate policies in accordance with the powers, functions and duties of the PSC on all human resource matters.

The Secretariat also comments on the development and application of human resource policies and any proposed legislation, which impact on the terrain of the PSC. The DPSCS works in collaboration with the Department Public Service Management (DPSM).

The DPSCS is divided into three divisions and a support service section.

Division: Staffing

The Division, headed by a Deputy Director, after thorough scrutiny of requests from Offices/Ministries/Agencies and Regional Councils, makes presentations to the PSC for recommendations/advice on appointments, promotions, transfers, secondments, study leave, discharges, retirements and deviations from the Public Service Staff Rules.

2. Division: Monitoring and Evaluation

The Division is headed by a Deputy Director and is responsible for conducting annual human resources (HR) audits in all Government Offices, Ministries and Agencies (O/M/As). The purpose of the audit is to assess the effectiveness of HR management functions in Government and to ensure that legal and regulatory compliance with the policies, procedures and methods are in place.

In addition to the audit function, the Division is in charge of investigating complaints channelled to the Public Service Commission by aggrieved staff members, since the Commission also serves as an avenue of complaints and appeals. However, Staff Rules and Regulations are explicit on procedures to be followed when communicating complaints.

3. Division: Grievances, Misconduct and Appeals (GMA)

The Division is headed by a Deputy Director and is responsible for ensuring that the provisions of all Public Service legal frameworks (Public Service Act, 1995 (Act No. 13 of 1995 and Government Service Act, 1980 (Act No. 2 of 1980) as amended and repealed) and the Public Service Staff Rules are complied with at all times.

To ensure compliance, all cases of misconduct that culminate in severe punitive measures against staff members, which may also require a process of appeal on the part of the affected staff member, are submitted to the Public Service Commission through the Division for scrutiny and deliberation.

Support Service Section

The Support Service Group is part of the Secretariat and comprises of a Personal Assistant to the Public Service Commission, five (5) Private Secretaries and a clerk.

The task of providing an effective and efficient backup to the daily activities of the PSC and the Secretariat rests on the shoulders of this team of administrative, technical and support staff.

Operating unobtrusively and very often behind the scenes, this group performs a myriad of administrative chores and enables the PSC and its Secretariat to focus on their primary responsibilities.